Repeal the requirement for men to register, and abolish the Selective Service System (and risk being attacked as peaceniks); or

Extend the requirement to register for the draft to women as well as men (and risk being attacked by both feminists and sexists).

After elaborate bi-partisan machinations, Congress chose Door Number One ("Do Nothing"). Perhaps members of Congress thought that would allow them to point the finger of "blame" at the courts, and away from themselves, if draft registration was ended. More likely they just wanted to punt this political hot potato past the 2016 elections into the Clinton or Trump Administration.

To provide further political cover for delaying its decision, Congress voted in late 2016 to establish a National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service "to conduct a review of the military selective service process (commonly referred to as 'the draft')." The Commission is required to solicit and consider public comments, and to report back to the President and Congress with its recommendations by March 2020 (at which time its recommendations can either be ignored, used, or abused to score points in 2020 election campaigns).

A notice in the Federal Register soliciting written comments (by a Web form or by e-mail to "national.commission.on.service.info@mail.mil", mentioning "Docket No. 05-2018-01" in the subject) though 19 April 2018; and

An announcement on the Commission's Web site of a first public hearing, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. next Friday, 23 February 2018, at the Harrisburg Area Community College, Midtown Trade and Technology Center, Midtown 2, Room 206, 1500 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, PA.

Pass the word to any of your contacts who might be able to make it to Harrisburg that day.

It's unclear how the Commission's hearings will be conducted. So far as I can tell from the announcement it appears that at least the first hearing will be a first-come, first-served, open microphone event, although I have no idea how much time each speaker will be allowed.

The Commission shall conduct hearings on the recommendations it is taking under consideration. Any such hearing, except a hearing in which classified information is to be considered, shall be open to the public. Any hearing open to the public shall be announced on a Federal website at least 14 days in advance. For all hearings open to the public, the Commission shall release an agenda and a listing of materials relevant to the topics to be discussed.

The Commission's first planned hearing in Harrisburg, PA, on 23 February 2018, was announced on the Commission's Insprire2Serve.gov Web site on February 16th, only seven days in advance. The Commission appears to be in flagrant violation of the statutory requirement for 14 days' notice, and the hearing in Harrisburg, if it is held on February 23rd, will be unlawful. As of a week before the planned hearing, no agenda has been released.

Members of the Commission have said it plans to hold public hearings in each of the nine US Census regions over the next two years, but none of the other dates and locations have been announced yet.

Began a walk in front of Woodrow Wilson Library and birthplace in Staunton, Virginia on June 5, 2012, to Washington D.C. to Philadelphia, PA, to the Internation Peace Museum in Dayton, Ohio calling for a Constitutional Amendment to Abolish The Draft. In March 2013 went to India and walked the Gandhi Salt March for the cause to Abolish The Draft. Afterwards went to Canada and walked from Ottawa, Ontario Canada to Toronto to thank Canada for receiving men and women who were against the Draft during the Vietnam War.

After I submnitted a query through the Commisison Web site, a staff person for the Commission eventually contacted ne. They told me that during 2018 the Commission would conduct an informal listening tour. After drafting and publication for comment of draft recommendations, the Commision plans a second round of formal hearings in 2019 to hear feedback on ots draft recommendations.

Bill Galvin of the Center on Conscience and War, who attended and spoke at the Commiassion's first public open-mike event in Harrisburg, reports that the following states were announced as planned locations for Commission "listening sessions" through the end of 2018: Tennessee, Florida, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Texas, and California. But no additional details or schedule were provided.

The petition against draft registration or a draft for women or men started by draft-age women in 2016 is still open for signatures, with more than 25,000 to date:

"Congress shall make no law ... abridging ... the right of the people peaceably to assemble." (U.S. Constitution)

"Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country." (Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

"Liberty of movement is an indispensable condition for the free development of a person." (United Nations Human Rights Committee)